Agenda and minutes

No disclosures were made.

The Leader made the following announcement:

Virtual/In Person Meetings

“We are now coming up for a year since our last in person meeting.  It has been an extraordinary year, but this meeting is testament to how we have managed to adapt to some extraordinary events.  We do not know for sure yet what is going to happen in the future as far as virtual or in person meetings, it would be nice for us to have the option to have some hybrid meetings.  It is under the Government’s control and I suspect that legislation will not be brought in ahead of the May cut off, so we may have a period where we are not entirely sure what is happening as far as whether we are meeting in person or otherwise.  However, I would like to say thank you to all of you this evening in this meeting for enabling these meetings to carry on.  They have carried on being effective and I think scrutiny in particular has been very effective and Cabinet meetings in their own right have worked well through Zoom and Teams, and it would be a great shame to lose the ability to carry on using different IT systems in the future to facilitate meetings of different types.  I hope the Government will change the legislation to enable this, but it’s in their hands and not ours and we will carry on asking them to do so until they do”.

To approve the minutes of the previous meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 11th February 2021 were confirmed as a correct record.

The deadline for questions is noon on Wednesday, 3rd March 2021. 

No questions had been submitted.

A report of the Head of Customer Experience.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Customer Experience setting out an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Strategy 2021-2023 (item 6 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Seaton, Chair of the Scrutiny Commission, presented a report setting out the Commission’s pre-decision scrutiny of the matter and recommendation (copy filed with these minutes).

The Head of Customer Experience and the Information Technology Delivery Manager assisted with consideration of the report.  In response to a suggestion, it was confirmed that officers would consider apps and whether they were the right option for the organisation and customers, particularly as progress on the transformation programme provided the opportunity to look at that.

RESOLVED

1.         that the ICT Strategy 2021-2023, attached as an appendix to the report of the Head of Customer Experience, be approved;

2.         that the report of the Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Reasons

1.         To identify the priorities against which the Council will seek to maintain and enhance its ICT capabilities over the period 2021-2023.

2.         To acknowledge the work undertaken by and the views of the Scrutiny Commission.

A report of the Head of Landlord Services.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Head of Landlord Services setting out a Housing Capital Programme 2021-2022 (item 7 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Head of Landlord Services assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED that the proposed Housing Capital Programme for 2021-2022 amounting to £7,129,000.00, detailed at Appendix 1 to the report, be approved and the Capital Plan be amended to reflect this.

Reason 

To improve the Council’s housing stock, in line with the Charnwood and Decent Homes Standards, thus delivering the priorities set out in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Business Plan approved by Cabinet in September 2014.

A report of the Strategic Director; Commercial Development, Assets and Leisure.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Strategic Director; Commercial Development, Assets and Leisure setting out an Annual Procurement Plan for 2021-2022 (item 8 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Strategic Director; Commercial Development, Assets and Leisure assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.      that the contracts, over £25,000 and up to £75,000, listed in Appendix A to the report, be let in accordance with Contract Procedure Rules;

2.      that the contracts, over £75,001 and up to £500,000, listed in Appendix B to the report, be let in accordance with Contract Procedure Rules.

Reason

1&2. To allow contracts of the Council to be let in accordance with Contract Procedure Rules.

A report of the Chief Executive.

Key Decision

Considered, a report of the Chief Executive setting out a Corporate Delivery Plan 2021-22 (item 9 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Seaton, Chair of the Scrutiny Commission, presented a report setting out the Commission’s pre-decision scrutiny of the matter and recommendation (copy filed with these minutes).

The Chief Executive and the Organisational Development Manager assisted with the report.

RESOLVED

1.         that the 2021-22 Corporate Delivery Plan, appended to the report of the Chief Executive, be approved;  

2.         that delegated authority be given to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader, to make minor amendments to the Corporate Delivery Plan;

3.         that the report of the Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Reasons

1.         To identify the Council’s key activities and performance indicators for 2021-22 that support the objectives set out in the Corporate Strategy (2020-2024).

2.         To allow minor corrections and amendments to be made in a timely manner prior to publication and throughout the 2021-22 Corporate Delivery Plan.

3.         To acknowledge the work undertaken by and the views of the Scrutiny Commission.

A report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services.

Considered, a report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services setting out proposals for revised Charnwood Community Grants, Community Facilities and Member Grants schemes (item 10 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Head of Neighbourhood Services and the Neighbourhoods and Partnership Manager assisted with consideration of the report.

RESOLVED

1.         that the revised Charnwood Community Grants Scheme as outlined in Part B, sections 7 to 22 of the report, and as set out in Appendices A and B to the report be approved;

2.         that the revised Charnwood Facilities Grants Scheme as outlined in Part B, sections 23 to 32 of the report, and as set out in Appendices C and D to the report be approved;

3.         that the revised Member Grants Scheme as outlined in Part B, sections 33 to 35 of the report, and as set out in the Guidance Note attached at Appendix E to the report be approved;

4.         that the Head of Neighbourhood Services is given delegated authority, in agreement with the Cabinet Lead Member, to make any further minor amendments to the documents as may be necessary.

Reasons

1.         Following the 2021/22 budgets being agreed at Cabinet on 11th February 2021, the grants scheme has been reviewed and changes made, resulting in the proposed new combined grants scheme called Charnwood Community Grants.

2.         Following the 2021/22 budgets being agreed at Cabinet on 11th February 2021, the Community Facilities Grant scheme has been revised, removing the Feasibility study and small environmental project elements (after identifying the low numbers of applications over the last 5 years), and the inclusion of certain sports related projects.

3.      Following the 2021/22 budgets being agreed at Cabinet on 11th February 2021, the Member Grants scheme has been updated to reflect the amount allocated to each Elected Member.

4.      To enable any changes that may need to be made.

It is recommended that members of the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item on the grounds that it will involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

RESOLVED that members of the public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following item on the grounds that it would involve the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Local Government Act 1972 and it is considered that the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information.

The Democratic Services Manager confirmed that the meeting was no longer being livestreamed.

An exempt report of the Head of Leisure and Culture circulated to members.

Notification was given on 10th February 2021 that the public could potentially be excluded during this item since exempt or confidential information could be considered.  No representations regarding considering this item in exempt session have been received.

Key Decision

Considered, an exempt report of the Head of Leisure and Culture providing an update on the position with leisure centres following Council financial support, details of projected year end position for 2020-21 financial year and information on plans for 2021-22 (item 12 on the agenda filed with these minutes).

Councillor Seaton, Chair of the Scrutiny Commission, presented an exempt report setting out the Commission’s pre-decision scrutiny of the matter and recommendation (copy filed with these minutes).

The Scrutiny Commission was thanked for its pre-decision scrutiny of this item and items earlier in the meeting.

The Head of Leisure and Culture and the Leisure Contract and Business Manager assisted with consideration of the report.  A typographical error in the report was corrected as detailed in the exempt minute (Cabinet Minute 102E 2020/21).

RESOLVED

1.         that decisions be made as detailed in the exempt minute (Cabinet Minute 102E 2020/21);

2.         that the exempt report of the Scrutiny Commission be noted.

Reasons

1.         As set out in the exempt minute (Cabinet Minute 102E 2020/21).

2.         To acknowledge the work undertaken by and the views of the Scrutiny Commission.